Civil enforcement officer Job Information | National Careers Service

Job profiles

Civil enforcement officer

Hours

Variable
Starting salary

£12,500 + per year

Civil enforcement officers make sure that drivers follow parking regulations on public streets. You would also regulate public car parks. If you like being out and about and want a responsible local role, this could be perfect for you.

To be a civil enforcement officer, you will need to have patience. You will need to be assertive but also polite. You must be able to handle difficult situations in a calm and professional way.

You do not need any particular qualifications to be a civil enforcement officer.

The work

As a civil enforcement officer, your duties would include:

patrolling to make sure that regulations are being followed
recording and issuing penalty charge notices (parking tickets)
checking parking meters and car park equipment, and reporting damage or faults
checking that car parks are clean and tidy
reporting inaccurate or missing parking signs or lines
identifying and reporting suspected abandoned vehicles
explaining regulations to motorists and advising them about parking facilities
checking tickets and taking payments in some car parks.

You would use equipment such as:

hand-held computers and printers for recording and issuing penalty charge notices
two-way radios or mobile phones to keep in contact with supervisors
cameras to record evidence of vehicles that are breaking parking regulations.

Hours

You would usually work shifts between 8 am and 8 pm. This would be on a rota including Saturdays and sometimes Sundays. Some jobs may be part-time.

You would spend most of the day patrolling (usually on foot) and would be out in all weathers. You would be provided with a uniform and waterproof clothing.

You may use a vehicle to travel between different areas.

Income

Salaries vary depending on the employer and the geographic area. They can range from around £12,500 to over £20,000 a year.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

You do not need any particular qualifications to be a civil enforcement officer. Employers will look for a polite manner and the ability to cope with stressful and demanding work in a professional way. They will also look for physical stamina, as you will need to be able to walk quite long distances in all types of weather.

It will help you if you have experience of working with the public. A driving licence could also be useful.

Training and development

Your employer will provide introductory training when you start work, and most of your further training will be on the job.

You could complete the following qualifications:

City & Guilds Level 2 Award for Civil Enforcement Officers (Parking)
NVQ Level 2 in Controlling Parking Areas.

Skills and knowledge

To be a civil enforcement officer, you will need to have:

the ability to work as a team member or on your own
patience and tact
an assertive but polite approach
the ability to handle difficult situations in a calm and professional way
safety consciousness
the ability to make decisions
good numeracy skills
the ability to keep accurate records for official use
the ability to use, or learn to use, computerised equipment.

More information

Asset Skills (Opens new window)
2 The Courtyard
48 New North Road
Exeter
Devon
EX4 4EP
Tel: 01392 423399
Email: (careers advice) careers@assetskills.org
www.assetskills.org

The British Parking Association (BPA) (Opens new window)
Stuart House
41-43 Perrymount Road
Haywards Heath
West Sussex
RH16 3BN
Tel: 01444 447 300
www.britishparking.co.uk

Opportunities

You could find work as a civil enforcement officer with parking operations run by local authorities, private companies or partnerships between the two.

With experience, you may be able to progress to supervisor or team leader.

Vacancies are advertised in local newspapers, in Jobcentre Plus offices and on the Local Government jobs website.

LGjobs

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

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Related industry information

Industry summary

The parking industry is part of the housing, property and planning, cleaning and support services, and facilities management sector, which is represented by Asset Skills Sector Skills Council. The sector workforce has continued to grow since 1998 and represents 3% of the total UK workforce.

The parking industry covers a diverse range of public and private sector on and off street parking, which includes: local authorities; hospitals, railway stations, supermarkets and airports; enforcement agents; and national parking operators. The industry also includes operators carrying out specialist activities, such as immobilising and removing vehicles, recovering debt (bailiffs) and so on.

Key facts:

There are an estimated 60,500 people working in the industry, of these:
- 18,000 work on‐street
- 24,500 work in off‐street activities
- 10,000 are office‐based
- 3,000 are in management positions
- 5,000 are in support services (for example, finance, human resources)
62% of the workforce has a qualification below NVQ level 2.
Customer service, interpersonal and IT skills are sought after in the industry.

Jobs in the industry include: civil enforcement officer, civil enforcement officer supervisor; car park attendant, car park attendant supervisor, senior car park attendant; parking valet professional; vehicle immobilizer; notice processor; parking administrator; assistant operations manager; traffic order maker; contract manager, area manager, parking operations manager; managing director, chief executive; and emerging jobs include those using CCTV enforcement.